Letters to the Editor for August 7, 2019

The city needs to do something about the Band-Aid approach to the rifle range. They need to get a group together to make some down-to-earth practical suggestions to get the range back open. I think the closure was connived by an individual(s) for some personal gain.

Be that be as it may, safety in the controlling factor. So here are some ideas: Limit shooting in the bays to groups that have their own safety officer; reduce the pistol range to 25 yards by building a new berm — the rifle range is good as is. A no-sky roof could be added to the rifle range, but I do not think shooting over the hill was ever a problem. I would not allow any steel targets. I myself like to shoot steel, but I know from experience they deflect bullets in every direction. Allow only wood, paper or cardboard targets. Allow no targets on the range floor and all targets must be placed so all bullets go into the berm. Open the range a minimum of five days a week. Have one range safety there during open hours. Make sure all RSOs have the same information. Allow the RSO to remove any one who is acting dangerously.

In the 80 years I have lived here, I can only remember one death at the range and that was a killing by a teenager to steal a car. In all the years I have shot there, which was from the day it opened to now, I have observed that most shooters police themselves. I have observed that in many situations that shooters were informed that their action was unsafe. I think with a few basic safety rules in place and informed RSOs, no problems will occur. But the city needs to get the range back open as people are going out on public lands where they are a fire and safety hazard.

George Frazier

Carson City

Noise level at library should be addressed

I am a long standing Carson City Library patron.

I’ve used library services all over the world for over 50 years.

One of the universal joys of spending time in a library, perusing the shelves for a book, is an environment of respect for other patrons and books demonstrated by polite, civil behavior.

I was recently in the Carson City Library and was appalled by the loud, disruptive noise from the children’s section. Sounds of Lego bins being emptied onto the floor, children yelling and eating and drinking at tables created a chaotic, noisy library. Other patrons were speaking to one another in loud, public voices making no effort to be quiet or respectful.

Prior to the library’s most recent renovation, the children’s section was sequestered from the rest of the library by a wall, a door, and was located away from the main library. Librarians expected and enforced appropriate library behavior. I was disappointed that the librarians did nothing to reduce the disruptive behaviors after I asked them why the library was so noisy.

The library has traditionally been an oasis that nurtured the mind and spirit removed from the loud, hectic world in which we live.

I ask the new director and library board to improve the library environment and offer a sanctuary for learning, reading, expanding our minds and sharing ideas and information.

Monique Giron

Carson City

Black hole or Messiah?

Rep. Mark Amodei once referred to Donald Trump as either a “smoking black hole” or “the next messiah.” Soothsayer Amodei may have been right about one of these. The cruel amorality of the demagogue-occupant of the White House would preclude most from supporting him, let alone signing up to get him re-elected. Yet, Amodei has expressed his desire to be Trump’s campaign manager in Nevada again in 2020.

Amodei’s willingness to journey into the bottomless pit of racism, sexism, white nationalism, amongst a host of other -isms, is especially troubling now that Trump has devolved to personally attacking Amodei ‘s colleagues, members of the U.S. House of Representatives. After a weekend detox from social media and news, I returned to find the president of the United States attacking the city of Baltimore as “disgusting, rat and rodent-infested,” along with Rep. Elijah Cummings as a “brutal bully.” Let’s ignore for a moment that Trump’s son-in-law actually owns many rat-infested apartments in Baltimore. Given his cowering silence to date, one has to wonder what Amodei thinks. Does the thought even cross his mind to tell Trump to back off the personal attacks?

If Amodei steers the Trump campaign in Nevada, hold on tight because the entire campaign will take us further into the abyss. I shudder to imagine a rally with Amodei leading a zealous chorus of “Send them back!” While there is no bottom for Trump, we will soon find out how far down the “smoking black hole” Amodei will go.